For as much as Kyle Busch says he struggles at Atlanta Motor Speedway, this weekend should be a thrill for the Las Vegas native.
After finishing second in Friday night’s Camping World Truck Series race, Busch qualified on the pole for Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race from Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Busch, who showed speed in the morning practice sessions in his No.54 Toyota, took the pole after being one of the final 10 cars to qualify for the NRA American Warrior 300.
“We worked a lot on what’s going to happen with the different lanes of the racing track and what happens from the top to the bottom. But, the car was pretty good,” said Busch.
The pole marks the first time this season that Busch has won the pole in the Nationwide Series, and the first for his Kyle Busch Motorsports team in Nationwide competition.
“It’s pretty cool. Certainly you want to win as many as you can, poles and race victories. Mike Beam (crew chief) and the guys have worked really, really hard this year and we just keep plugging away and keep getting to where our cars are faster and that was pretty cool right there.
“Had a big slip out of (turn) four, but still got the pole. Didn’t expect it, didn’t think it would hold up. Apparently everyone else slipped, too.”
Busch, who’s a past winner at AMS, now has his tenth consecutive season of winning the pole in the Nationwide Series. The pole also makes Busch the all-time pole winner at AMS for the Nationwide Series with three.
Starting alongside Busch for tonight’s 300-mile race is the defending Nationwide champion, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
The two drivers with arguably the most recognizable names in the series, Travis Pastrana and Danica Patrick, will start the race from the 16th and 17th spots respectively.
With 44 cars attempting to make the starting field for the race, one driver failed to qualify.
John Jackson, who went out early in the session, failed to make the 43 car field.
NRA American Warrior 300 Starting Lineup
1: Kyle Busch
2: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
3: Kevin Harvick
4: Kasey Kahne
5: Denny Hamlin
6: Sam Hornish Jr.
7: Elliott Sadler
8: Brad Keselowski
9: Austin Dillon
10: Mike Bliss
11: Reed Sorenson
12: Cole Whitt
13: Justin Allgaier
14: Michael Annett
15: Brian Scott
16: Travis Pastrana
17: Danica Patrick
18: Joe Nemechek
19: David Starr
20: Jason Bowles
21: Jeff Green
22: Blake Koch
23: James Buescher
24: Kyle Fowler
25: Jeremy Clements
26: Matt Carter
27: Mike Wallace
28: Erik Darnell
29: Josh Wise
30: Eric McClure
31: Chase Miller
32: Carl Long
34: Timmy Hill
35: JJ Yeley
36: Benny Gordon
37: Morgan Shepard
38: Tayler Malsam
39: Mike Harmon
40: Tony Raines
41: Robert Richardson Jr.
42: Fain Skinner
43: Joey Gase
